The present invention relates to a device for the separation of liquid and/or solid pollutants entrained by gaseous streams.
In the current state of the art, various techniques are adopted for eliminating liquid and/or solid micro-entrainments from streams of gas, air or vapour, which however have a modest and unstable efficiency (99.5% greater than 8÷10 microns), as in the case of centrifugal, cyclonic or inertial separators. Or, in order to obtain higher efficiency values (99.5% greater than 1 micron), double-step separators are used, i.e. having a first step with cartridges and a second step of the inertial type.
The cartridges are normally of the glass fibre, coalescent type, with a very high filtration threshold, to allow the coalescence process (agglomerations of small liquid particles to form larger particles).
These characteristics are such that the cartridges become obstructed by the solid pollutant and, within a relatively short time, produce a pressure drop which makes it necessary for them to be substituted. The number of cartridges used is correlated to the flow-rate to be disposed of and is generally quite a high number.
Their substitution creates various problems and operations, among which the necessity of a spare separator and the depressurization of the separator to undergo maintenance, can be mentioned.
This is followed by drainage phases of the separator, the opening of the separator, the disassembly of the blocked cartridges and the cleaning of the cartridge-holders.
Subsequently, new cartridges must naturally be assembled, the separator closed and the system repressurized.
To all of this, the cost of the new cartridges, the disposal of the obstructed ones, the transporting and personnel for all the operations indicated above, must be added.
Wherever there is a stream of gas, air or vapour, this stream must be cleaned of all foreign pollutants, both liquid and solid.
To have a technically clean stream of gas, air or vapor (99% elimination of micro-particles greater than 1 micron) and guaranteeing this efficiency at all flow-rate levels within the scope of the project, without any obstruction or erosion processes, without the need for spare parts, or particular maintenance, is the objective to be reached by the separator of the invention.
The invention provides a device (10) for the separation of liquid and/or solid pollutants entrained by gaseous streams, comprising a separating element (11), contained inside a protective casing (12) which comprises a gas inlet and outlet (13, 14), wherein said separating element (11) includes a coil (17) characterized in that the above coil (17) is situated between an outlet disk (18), having an outlet hole (20), and an unloading disk (19), wherein said unloading disk (19) has a series of discharge channels (21), connected to outwardly located loops of the above coil (17) and a series of discharge channels (21xe2x80x2), connected to inwardly located loops of the said coil (17), so that the geometrical parameters of said coil (17) and the distribution of said discharge channels (21, 21xe2x80x2) allow liquid and/or solid micro-particles to be eliminated from a stream of gas wherein the lower part of said separating element (11) comprises a collecting hopper (22), which is situated immediately under said unloading disk (19) to divert the portion of stream leaving said series of discharge channels (21) of the outwardly located loops, towards the discharge channels (21xe2x80x2) of the inwardly located loops within a well defined space in order to form, in the area around the center of said hopper (22), a corona of ascending streams which create a vortex, said hopper (22) consisting of a cylindrical part, joined to the external diameter of said unloading disk and a conical end converging at the center with a circular opening (25) communicating with the underlying zone of said separator with the function of collecting the separated product, and including below said hopper (22), a dividing element (23).
The objective of the device of the invention is consequently to eliminate liquid and/or solid micro-particles from a stream of gas, air or vapour.
In particular, the aim is to eliminate from a stream of gas, air or vapour, in the order of 99.5% of liquid and/or solid micro-particles having a diameter greater than 1 micron.
A further objective of the device of the invention is to rigorously maintain a constant efficiency at all flow-rate levels within the maximum flow-rate of the project.
Yet another objective of the device of the invention is to produce a device for the separation of pollutants which does not require maintenance or spare parts.
A further objective of the device of the invention is to produce a device for the separation of pollutants which is not subject to obstruction or erosion.
Finally, the aim is to limit external interventions solely to the unloading of the separated product, which can be effected either manually or automatically, without the necessity for stopping the unit.
These and other objectives are achieved by means of a device for the separation of liquid and/or solid pollutants entrained by gaseous streams, according to claim 1, to which reference should be made for the sake of brevity.
Other characteristics of the present invention are also defined in the other claims.